From Belen to Ireland and Scotland
I recently returned from my first Overseas Study Program (OSP) with Belen Jesuit, and I have to say that it has single handedly been one of the best experiences in my life. I attended the OSP Europe trip that took 17 students, family members and teachers to Ireland and Scotland from
June 12-21. We traveled to two of the biggest cities in Ireland, Dublin and Belfast. We then sailed across the North Channel to Scotland where we experienced Edinburgh, Stirling, the William Wallace Monument, Loch Ness, the Northern Highlands, and Glasgow.
One of the many places we saw that affected me was the city of Belfast in Northern Ireland. Belfast is a very important city in Ireland and in history because this is where a lot of fighting occurred between the Protestants and the Catholics. While we were touring the city, we had a guide named Joe, who showed us around and told us the history of the war between the two groups. Joe showed us many memorials for both Catholic and Protestant heroes and the wall that still divides both religious groups. Our visit to Belfast really showed me the long term effect of these battles and how my generation has to step up and stop similar fighting around the world to help bring peace.
During this trip I was also able to see God’s beautiful creation. While we took a long drive through the Highlands in Scotland, I was able to see the magnificent tall green mountains and little bit of snow on the summit during the summer. Looking at the absolute size and beauty of the Highlands, I was able to see how beautiful our planet really is and it really made me appreciate God’s work.
Overall this trip was one of the best experiences of my life. I would like thank my family for providing me with this unforgettable experience which allowed me to visit the Scottish Parliament, the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs, the Royal Yacht Britannia, Irish music, the Book of Kells, and so much more. Even though I traveled without my family, I never felt alone because I was with my Belen family.
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BELEN JESUIT PREPARATORY SCHOOL
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: webmaster@belenjesuit.org
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: webmaster@belenjesuit.org
Belen Jesuit Preparatory School was founded in 1854 in Havana, Cuba by Queen Isabel II of Spain. The task of educating students was assigned to the priests and brothers of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), whose teaching tradition is synonymous with academic excellence and spiritual discipline. In 1961, the new political regime of Cuba confiscated the School property and expelled the Jesuit faculty. The School was re-established in Miami the same year, and over the next decade, continued to grow. Today, Belen Jesuit sits on a 30-acre site in western Dade County, only minutes away from downtown Miami.